A real taste of the Tour

Life on Tour

- VERN PITT

What does the Tour de France smell like? A heady concoction of burning clutches, diesel, hot tarmac, sweat, and stale beer. Every once in a while the aroma of soap bubbles from the caravan cuts through. Like a music festival on a Sunday afternoon, a hum of excitement (the crowds) and fatigue (everyone else) hangs in the air.

It's a mix that I've missed, this being my first Tour since Covid-19 made travel administratively burdensome. But in with the familiar there is always something new. This year it was the unexpected answer to what does the Tour de France taste like?